The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-05
EGG PRODUCTION.
Conditions Necessary to Insure 1t Durin 8
the Winter Months,

very cheap. One complaint Is about
rs reasonable as the other. Birds in
this climate lay eggs during the spring
and early summer for the reason
piven by the author of n pious and
nursery song for the habi'ual
yrowling and fighting of bears and
lions: "Tis their nature to-" II
they produce eggs out OF the ordinary
season and so lac that they would
most likely lie frozen in the ness be-
fore they incubated, it is beca'se they
were Matched early III the spring, az
civcd at tho degree Of development
W hen they naturally begin to seek to
propagate their species. arc kept in
quarters where the temperature will
be nearly Ike that of early SPRING
have abundant Opportunity for taking |
exercise, and are supplied with the
variety and kinds of food they can Or
linaily obtain during warm weather.
and they are allowed to 60 about with
out restraint.
When MI these conditions obtain
there is good prospect for securing
eggs during cold weather. 1t Is
matter of common observation that
bullets Matched early during the
previous spring arc much more likely
to lay in the winter than old hens.
Old hens that brought up tlocks OF
chickens during the summer are likely
to produce eggs during the winter II
they are supplied with suitable food,
They will take on flesh and fat after
their chickens begin to take care OF
themselves, and be recuperatel to such
Nh extent that they will commence to
lay. Authorities on poultry manage
{ ment generally caution their readers
against allowing hens from which
they expect eggs to become fat, but
many have observed that old hens
shut up in coops for the purpose OF
fatlening them for the market soon
commence TO produce eggs. that are
form in them, partially formed, when
they are dressed. That some breeds
Of hens are better winter layers than
others is certain.
| Hens that are expected to produce
eggs during the winter should be kept
in dry, light, warm and well-ventilat-
ed buildings. 1t is generally imprac'i-
cal to warm poultry-house by means
Of heat generated in stove. A fire
in an outbuilding is likely to be =
source of danger. is expensive and
troublesome, and if not carefully at
tended to will produce too high q
temperature for the comfort and good
of the fowls If it ''gocs down." tho
bir,ls will suffer more from the cold
than they would i no artificial heat
had been employed to warm the build
ING. Class windsS-> on TN east ant
south sides of poultry-houses afford
the best means of warming them The
rays of heat that pass from the SUI
through glass do not 60 back the wa.
they come. This is shown in col'
frames and frnit-houses that are GOV
cred with glass, but in which no hea
is generated by combustion or tn
! fermentation of manure, as i'll the cas-
of q garden hot-bed. The tempera
ture produced by solar heat is NOR
constant and uniform than that pro
duccd by the combustion of any kim
;. OF fuel in IL stove.
A poultry-housc should be we'll ven
= tilated. Provisions should be made fl
! an outlet for the vitated atmosphere
The air should be changed ever
y fair day by opening the doors an
= windows and allowing draft to pas
y through tho building. During TIL
, time il will be best to allow the fow'
:. to have the +, n of yard and to tax
J exercise in running about, picking u
scattered grains and scratching tn
!, ground. All birds are active by nature
= and are likely to fall off in condition
= they are prevented from taking a
- amount of exercise during the wint'
!, by giving them bundles of grain al
cabbagc-hcads to pick from. The
= should have shallow boxes of fir
T earth, sand. or ashes in which they Ca
take a dust bath, and in that way kee
!, their feathers Clean and prevent /
y sects from remaining on their bodie
~ The water supply of the poultry-hou
(, should receive strict attention durir
/ the winter if hens are expected to Ia
: as eggs are very largely composed
] water
= Birds are very fond of variety
J. food, and domesticated fowls are !
r exception to the general rule. Th
: will do very good if allowed no mo
y kinds of food than horses are supple
with. They require seeds Of vario
sorts, vegetables, fruits and flcs
They need in addition lime for formi
n the shells of eggs, and sharp gra,
for supplying the crop with mater
S. for preparing the food for digestio
to Bones, reduced to pieces about the 81
le of the grains of wheat, are excelle
& for both purposes. Corn should be o
of the leading kinds of food for foN
Z, during the winter, but they shor
+, have some wheat, oats, rye or barl'
re Cooked peas and beans are fed to fo'
It. in France with the best results, rs :
s. cooked potatoes, carrots and parsni
i'll Boiled pumpkins and squashes,
n which Indian meal is mixed, constit,
d. good morning meal Lean and
p meat are very desirable. They
t. needed to take the place of insects IL
oil are abundant during the SUNNI